Sight plow box



May' 31,1927.

E. B. FORD SIGHT FLOW BOX Filed Dec. 17, 1925 ATTORNEYS jects."

caps Qbetween which and the ends of the nipples are clamped glass plates 3. Preferably, packing rings 4 are interposed between the glass plates 3and the caps and the'nipples, both to provide resilient seats for the plates and to prevent leakage of liquid through the sight openings should the liquid flow in the pipe lineso as to completely fill the casing A.

With this relative arrangement of the sight openings to the path of flow of'liquid through the casing A, a larger area of the stream or column of liquid may be seen' through the sight openings than if the said openings were arranged at right angles to the path of flow of the liquid, and furthermore, the stream of liquid is soviewed that the reflection of light therefrom materially assists in making the stream visible. Also, the particular arrangement of the sight openings at an angle to or out of alignment with each other, permits the application of a light such as an electric incandescent lamp F at one of the sight openings and an operator to look into the opposite sight opening so that the stream of water can be easily seen due to the illumination thereof by the light F, and the light is prevented from shining directly into the eyes of the operator so as to interfere with his sight. An-

other advantage of the downwardly inclined or oblique arrangement of the sight opening is that the flow of liquid through the box can be more effectively viewed from a distance so that an operator may slowly walk past the box and see the flow without stop or careful scrutiny, and this is particularly desirable where there are a lar'ge'nurnber of the boXes to inspect as is frequently the case in large plants] The construction also en ables the operator to ascertain thelevel of the liquid in the lower end of the casing and at the sametime ascertain whether and to what extent the liquid is flowing into the" box, so that the necessary repairs or adjust 'ments in the pipe line or flow of liquid may be made. r

The casing A may be constructed in any suitable manner, but preferably comprises two frusto-conical sheet metal sections 5, 6 each ofwhich has its small end connected to one of the flanges B and its large end connected to the large end of the other section; and the two sections .5 and 6 are preferably of the same length so that their large ends meet zit-substantially the center of the length of the casing. The sight openings, E are arranged in the upper section, and it will be noted that they do not substantially project beyond the periphery of the large middle portion of the casing A, so that the nipples 1, caps 2 and glass plates 3 are protected against beingstruck by passing ob- Preferably an inwardly opening check with vision valve"! is connected to the upperend of the chamber to automatically admit air intothe chamber, said valve normally being open and closing under pressure within the chamber,

Having thus described the invention,

what I claim is: I L

,1. A sight flow box COIIIPIlSlDgtL body iaving a chamber provided with an'mlet and an outlet,lsaid body having a sightopening directed into i said chamber obliquely to said inlet through which a col umn of liquid enter ng said chamber can be viewed obliquely to its axis and a large area made visible.

2 A sight flow boX comprising a body having a chamber provided with an inlet and outlet, and a pair of'sight openings directed into said' chamber out of alinement' with each other whereby a column of liquid entering said chamber can be viewed through one of said openingsand light di rected through the other opening upon said column so that visibility is enhanced without interference by glare with vision through the first-mentionedopening.

3. A sight flow box comprising an body I having a chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, and a pair of adjacently disposed sight openings directed into said chamber at ans-angle to each other whereby a column of liquid entering sald chamber can be viewed through one of said open- .ings and light directed through the other 1 opening upon said column so that visibility is enhanced without interference by glare through the" first-mentioned opening. a I I g r 4.1; sight flow box comprising a body having avchamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, and apair of oppositely disposed sight 'f openings directed into said chamber at an angle to each other and one thereof obliquely. to said inlet, whereby a column of liquid entering said chamber can be viewed. through one of said openings and light directed through the other opening upon said column so that visibility is enhanced without interference by glare with vision through the first-mentioned opening;

7 5. A sight flow box comprising a body "having a chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, a pair of oppositely disposed sight openings directed into said chamber at an angle to each other and each obliquely to said inlet, whereby a large area of a column of water in said chamber can be viewed through either of said openings and light directed into said chamber through the other opening to enhance visibility without interference through the first-mentioned opening.

6. A sight flow box comprising a body having a chamber provided with an inlet and an outlet, a portion of said chamber being substantially co-axial with and of larger cross-sectional area than said inlet, said body being provided with a sight opening directed into the enlarged portion of said chamber adjacent and obliquely to said inlet and toward the outlet, whereby a column of liquid entering said chamber and an accumulation of liquid in said enlarged portion can be viewed through said opening. I

7. A sight flow box comprising a body having a chamber, an inlet and an outlet by glare with vision said inlet maybe viewed obliquely to its path of flow and any accumulation of liquid in said chamber can be seen through said one of said openings;

8. A sight flow box comprising a body having oppositely arranged coaxial frustoconical portions to form a correspondingly shaped chamber within said body, the small end of each of said portions being formed with a coaxial opening, said body having a plurality of sight openings in one of said portions directed into said chamber, one of said openings being oblique to the axis of said body.

--ERNEST B. FORD. 

